The Control of Color in Birds

Ralph, Charles L.

doi:10.1093/icb/9.2.521

Cited by 67 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…85 That dark manes might honestly signal high testosterone levels is not surprising as testosterone regulates melanin pigmentation in other vertebrates. 86 Also, since high testosterone levels suppress immunocompetence, worthy males can only give such testosterone-based signals when parasite loads are low, 71 ensuring that mane melanism is an honest signal of physical condition.…”

Section: Pelagementioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is plausible that dark pigmentation indicates access to a surplus of tyrosine or trace minerals and therefore reflects overall nutrition. 86 However, experimental studies of bird plumage have found little, or at least mixed evidence that nutrition influences or is indicated by the melanin content of feathers. 4 Nevertheless, there is evidence that poor nutrition such as protein deficiency, influences hair pigmentation in captive primates 88 and that dietary zinc content correlates with mane pigmentation in captive lions.…”

Section: Pelagementioning

confidence: 99%

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The primate palette: The evolution of primate coloration

Bradley¹,

Mundy²

2008

Evolutionary Anthropology

148

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Flip through The Pictorial Guide to the Living Primates1 and you will notice a striking yet generally underappreciated aspect of primate biology: primates are extremely colorful. Primate skin and pelage coloration were highlighted examples in Darwin's2 original discussions of sexual selection but, surprisingly, the topic has received little research attention since. Here we summarize the patterns of color variation observed across the primate order and examine the selective forces that might drive and maintain this aspect of primate phenotypic diversity. We discuss how primate color patterns might be adaptive for physiological function, crypsis, and communication. We also briefly summarize what is known about the genetic basis of primate pigmentation and argue that understanding the proximate mechanisms of primate coloration will be essential, not only for understanding the evolutionary forces shaping phenotypic variation, but also for clarifying primate taxonomies and conservation priorities.

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Section: Pelagementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Pelagementioning

confidence: 99%

The primate palette: The evolution of primate coloration

Bradley¹,

Mundy²

2008

Evolutionary Anthropology

148

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“…The bright yellow, orange and red colours commonly found in the combs, wattles, beaks, skin patches, eyes and feathers in birds are in most cases caused by carotenoid pigmentation (RALPH 1969). In several bird species, these carotenoidbased colours function as ornaments and are used by females when selecting mates (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of nutrition on sexual ornaments and humoral immune responsiveness in adult male pheasants

Ohlsson

Smith

Råberg

et al. 2003

Ethology Ecology & Evolution

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Female pheasants may base their choice of mates on the expression of male ornaments such as the red chin wattle and the length of the spurs. Both these ornaments are predicted to be sensitive to access to carotenoids (and vitamins). Moreover, because carotenoids also enhance immune function, it has been suggested that there is a trade-off in the use of carotenoids for ornament expression and immune function. We fed adult male ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) with food of different nutritional quality. This relieved males from restrictions of access to dietary carotenoids and allowed us to study the simultaneous effect on ornament expression (wattle size and redness, spur length) and immune responsiveness. Two treatment groups were given either a low or a high quality fodder between late February and late May, when males were 8-11 months old. As a result of the food-quality manipulation, males in the high nutrient group achieved significantly redder wattles whereas no significant effect was found for either wattle size or spur length. There was a non-significant tendency that the antibody response to one out of two novel antigens was affected by the experimental treatment, but the mean production of antibodies against the two antigens (diphtheria and tetanus toxoid) was not significantly related to the experimental treatments. Over the experimental period, the change in humoral immune responsiveness was positively related to the increase in spur length, but not related to the change in wattle colouration. We suggest that wattle colour may be an honest indicator of males' ability to find or assimilate dietary carotenoids, but we found no firm evidence that the mechanism maintaining honesty is a trade-off between the use of carotenoids for ornament colouration and general immune function. In contrast, our study lends some support to the idea that spur length, a sexually selected trait, may reflect humoral immunocompetence in male pheasants.

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“…The development of some phenotypically plastic traits, such as the seasonal features of vertebrates (e.g., antlers in deer [Goss 1968;Suttie et al 1984] and plumage in birds [Ralph 1969;Witschi 1935]), were understood to be controlled by hormones like testosterone and prolactin. In insects, the control of metamorphosis by JH and ecdysone was also becoming well understood (Doane 1973;Schneiderman and Gilbert 1964).…”

Section: The Status Of Phenotypic Plasticity Circa 1981mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Developmental-Physiological Perspective on the Development and Evolution of Phenotypic Plasticity

Nijhout

2014

Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science

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The Control of Color in Birds

Cited by 67 publications

References 54 publications

The primate palette: The evolution of primate coloration

The primate palette: The evolution of primate coloration

Effects of nutrition on sexual ornaments and humoral immune responsiveness in adult male pheasants

A Developmental-Physiological Perspective on the Development and Evolution of Phenotypic Plasticity

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